The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t have a player named to the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, but they will be represented by Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma on the U.S. Team in the Mtn Dew Rising Stars Challenge. The game will be played Friday, Feb. 16, at Staples Center.
Ball and Kuzma are 11th and 12th Lakers selected to the showcase (including when it was named the Rookie-Sophomore Game). For Ingram, he joins Jordan Farmar and D’Angelo Russell as the only Lakers to ever participate in the event twice.
This season marks a third in a row for the Lakers having a participant in the Rising Stars Game, and the first with three players since 1997 when Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher and Travis Knight were named.
The complete list of Lakers previously selected to appear in the contest are: Ingram (2017), Russell (2017 and 2016), Jordan Clarkson (2016), Farmar (2007 and 2008), Andrew Bynum (2007), Bryant (1997), Fisher (1997), Knight (1997), Eddie Jones (1995, selected MVP), and Nick Van Exel (1994).
Kuzma leads the Lakers in scoring with 16.7 points per game, to go along with six rebounds and 1.9 assists. He’s shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from 3-point territory.
Ball is averaging 10.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 7.1 points through the first 36 games of his career. On Nov. 11, he became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double, doing so at 20 years and 15 days old.
Ingram is averaging 15.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists, while shooting 45.1 percent and 34.3 percent from 3-point range. He’s is the only player in the NBA age 20 years or younger averaging at least 15.0 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Beyond his improvement on the court, Ingram has drawn praise from Lakers head coach Luke Walton for emerging as a leader for the young team.
Complete U.S and World rosters for the 2018 Rising Stars Game
U.S. Team:
Lonzo Ball (Lakers); Malcolm Brogdon (Bucks); Jaylen Brown (Celtics); John Collins (Hawks); Kris Dunn (Bulls); Brandon Ingram (Lakers); Kyle Kuzma (Lakers); Donovan Mitchell (Jazz); Dennis Smith, Jr. (Mavericks); Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
World Team:
Bogdan Bogdanovic (Kings); Dillon Brooks (Grizzlies); Joel Embiid (76ers); Buddy Hield (Kings); Lauri Markkanen (Bulls); Jamal Murray (Nuggets); Frank Ntilikina (Knicks); Domantas Sabonis (Pacers); Dario Saric (76ers); Ben Simmons (76ers)
